For the time optical media has been out, why does it still take so long, around 30 seconds, for a optical disc to be read or reconized by the O/S (2k)?
I understand it has to spin up (a few seconds) and read the TOC (a few seconds, or should be), but why should/does that take what seems forever? The whole computer is at the mercy of this process since you can't do anything else while this is taking place. Even opening another folder doesn't happen untill the O/S reads the disc.

It doesn't seem to matter if it is a plain old CD or a DVD movie. Neither does what type of drive it is or how old the drive is. Mind you, I run a 'lean' machine without the usual 30 or 40 processes running at startyup I see many other with.

I could understand when they first came out, but that was light years ago (in computer time).

Input please.

According to CDspeed benchmark, my Liteys recognize DVDs in around 15 seconds.

Hi
All my DVDRW's for about the past 2 yrs have had a time around the 15 sec mark. BenQ NEC Pioneer Plextor Lite-On & on & on.

It takes around 22 seconds on my liteon. I'm not sure that info which CDspeed gives is correct. Insert the disc and measure the time.

Yes i'm puzzled by this myself. And the results vary from different brands.
I notice that some standalone DVD players recognise discs faster. Example, my APEX AD-1200 recognises and plays my discs in less than 3 seconds from the time the door closes - Yet inserting the same disc in a Sony DVP player takes over 10-15 seconds.